By Collins Sarkodieh 
Nollywood star and film producer Iyabo Ojo has expressed deep anger toward local Ghanaian television stations for allegedly broadcasting her latest movie without permission. In a viral video, the Nigerian actress called out a channel identified as North East TV for airing The Memory of You Part Two less than 24 hours after its official YouTube release.
Pirating fresh movie releases hurts hardworking creative artists who invest huge sums into production. When local stations stream unlicensed films for free, it deprives creators of critical digital revenue needed to pay their actors and production crews.
Iyabo Ojo explained that producing quality African cinema requires massive capital for renting top equipment, paying actors, securing filming locations, and arranging logistics. Streaming these films illegally on television stops fans from watching on official YouTube channels where producers recoup their financial investments.
Stealing content created by fellow Africans undermines continental growth and discourages young filmmakers from investing in new projects. Broadcasters must understand that intellectual property theft destroys the livelihood of creative workers across West Africa.
The popular producer appealed directly to Ghana’s National Film Authority, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and state authorities to crack down on unauthorized television broadcasts. Enforcing strict copyright laws ensures local media houses operate ethically while protecting international creative partnerships.
Strengthening media regulations protects both local and foreign content creators from digital piracy. Fair licensing agreements allow television channels to show great movies legally while ensuring filmmakers receive their rightful financial rewards.
Respecting film copyright builds a stronger, more profitable African entertainment ecosystem for future generations. Television executives must purchase proper broadcasting rights before bringing foreign or local feature films to public airwaves.
When media organizations respect copyright laws, the entire creative industry thrives together. Stopping movie piracy encourages filmmakers to produce higher quality stories that make all Africans proud.
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